Characterizing Muscle Phenotype and Prognosis in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Background/Objective: Low muscle mass (myopenia), poor muscle quality, myosteatosis, and muscle loss are associated with mortality in solid tumors. However, their impact in hematological malignancies remains unclear. We sought to determine how muscle phenotype relates to survival in patients with multiple myeloma. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients with multiple myeloma treated at Indiana University Hospital from 2012-2016. Total skeletal muscle area (SMA) (cm2) and radiodensity were measured on baseline (closest to diagnosis) and last CT scans at the third lumbar vertebrae area. SMA was normalized to height (SMA cm2/m2) to define skeletal muscle index (SKMI). Myopenia was defined as (SKMI) <52.4 cm2/m2 (men) and <38.5 cm2/m2 (women). Myosteatosis and obesity were defined per published BMI-specific cutoffs. Difference in survival between groups was estimated using log rank test. Results: Of 455 patients with multiple myeloma, 137 had more than one CT scan; 42 of these have been assessed to date. Half (21/42) were myopenic. Myopenia was equally prevalent across BMI categories and showed no association with survival. More than half of patients displayed myostetatosis; however, this was not associated with survival. Obesity and myopenic obesity were likewise not correlated with survival. Below-median baseline SKMI correlated with mortality, HR 2.721 (95% CI, 1.160-5.564: P=0.0129). As well, below-median final SMA correlated with mortality, HR 2.381 (95% CI, 1.094-5.181, P=0.0213). On average patients lost .7129% of SMA (95% CI; -6.072%-4.646%). Females had higher mortality, HR 2.355 (95% CI 0.9895-5.604, P=0.0215). Conclusion and Potential Impact: Although this study represents a fraction of treated patients to date, myopenia was prevalent among patients at diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Low muscle mass and sex appear to be important prognostic factors for survival. Additional measurements as well as univariate and multivariate analyses are necessary to verify these findings and identify additional factors that contribute to survival in multiple myeloma.

Download Full-text

Association between CT-Measured Abdominal Skeletal Muscle Mass and Pulmonary Function

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm8050667 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 667 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Eun Kyung Choe ◽

Young Lee ◽

Hae Yeon Kang ◽

Seung Ho Choi ◽

Joo Sung Kim

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Lung Function ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Skeletal Muscle Mass ◽

Lumbar Vertebrae ◽

Forced Expiratory Volume ◽

The Body ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Skeletal Muscle Index ◽

Clinical Records

A relationship between lung function and sarcopenia has been suggested. This study aimed to evaluate the association between lung function and abdominal skeletal muscle mass, as measured by computed tomography (CT). The clinical records of 1907 subjects (1406 males, mean age 53.1 ± 9.2 years), who underwent routine health check-ups, including spirometry and abdominal CT, were retrospectively reviewed. The CT-measured skeletal muscle index (SMICT, cm2/(kg/m2) was defined as the skeletal muscle area of the third lumbar vertebrae (L3) level that is normalized by the body mass index. The mean values of forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) gradually increased as the SMICT quartiles increased (all p for trend < 0.05). The proportions of subjects with less than 80% of the predicted FVC (%) and predicted FEV1 (%) significantly decreased as the SMICT quartiles increased (all p for trend < 0.05). The β regression coefficients for FVC and FEV1 significantly increased as the SMICT quartiles increased after adjusting for other confounding variables (p for trend < 0.05). This study showed that abdominal muscle mass, which was precisely measured by CT, independently affected lung function proportionally after adjusting for confounding factors in relatively healthy adults.

Download Full-text

Sarcopenia as a predictor of survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) receiving platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2019.37.15_suppl.e17030 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e17030-e17030 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stuart-Allison Moffat Staley ◽

Katherine Tucker ◽

Meredith Newton ◽

Michelle Ertel ◽

Yingao Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ovarian Cancer ◽

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Lumbar Vertebrae ◽

Advanced Ovarian Cancer ◽

Metastatic Breast ◽

Survival Outcomes ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Skeletal Muscle Index ◽

Kaplan Meier ◽

Skeletal Muscle Area

e17030 Background: Severe skeletal muscle loss (sarcopenia) is associated with poor cancer outcomes, including reduced survival and increased treatment toxicity. This relationship has recently been demonstrated in women with metastatic breast cancer, but there is a paucity of data regarding this correlation in women with EOC. Thus, our goal was to evaluate if sarcopenia, as assessed by computed tomography (CT) morphometric measurements, was associated with worse survival outcomes in EOC patients undergoing primary platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy. Methods: EOC patients diagnosed between 06/2000 and 02/2017 who received treatment with platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy were included. CT abdominal images closest to the time of diagnosis were retrospectively evaluated for skeletal muscle area at the 3rd lumbar vertebrae. Measurements were obtained with use of TomoVision® radiological software (SliceOmatic – version 5.0, Quebec, Canada). Sarcopenia was defined as Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI = SMA/height2) ≤ 41. Data analysis included Kaplan-Meier plots to assess survival, and descriptive statistics was utilized to describe characteristics between the two groups. Results: 201 EOC patients were evaluated. Sixty-four percent (128/201) met criteria for sarcopenia (SMI ≤ 41) at time of diagnosis. Seventy-six percent of patients were diagnosed with Stage III or IV disease, with high-grade serous as the most common histology (74%). Median age at diagnosis was 61 years. Approximately one third were obese. Body mass index was greater in the SMI > 41 group compared to the SMI ≤ 41 group (31.3 vs 26.3, p < 0.001). There was no difference in the prevalence of chronic conditions, including diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, or tobacco use, between the two groups. The mean overall survival did not differ between patients with SMI > 41 and SMI ≤ 41 (36.5 vs 40.8 months, p = 0.4, respectively). Conclusions: Based on this patient cohort, sarcopenia was not associated with worse survival outcomes in EOC patients receiving first-line platinum and taxane-based chemotherapy. Further prospective studies are needed to explore other diagnostics that may allow us to provide improved accuracy and individualization in the care of women with advanced ovarian cancer.

Download Full-text

Abnormal body composition in patients with adrenal adenomas

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/eje-21-0458 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Danae Delivanis ◽

Maria Daniela Hurtado Andrade ◽

Tiffany Cortes ◽

Shobana Athimulam ◽

Aakanksha Khanna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Body Composition ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Visceral Fat ◽

Cushing Syndrome ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cortisol Secretion ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Skeletal Muscle Area

Objective: Increased visceral fat and sarcopenia are cardiovascular risk factors that may explain increased cardiovascular morbidity and frailty in patients with adrenal adenomas. Our objective was to compare body composition measurement of patients with adrenal adenomas to referent subjects without adrenal disease Design: Cross-sectional study, 2014-2018 Methods: Participants were adults with nonfunctioning adrenal tumor (NFAT), mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS) and Cushing syndrome (CS), and age, sex and body mass index 1:1 matched referent subjects without adrenal disorders. Main outcome measures were body composition measurements calculated from abdominal computed tomography imaging. Intraabdominal adipose tissue and muscle mass measurements were performed at the 3rd lumbar spine level. Results: Of 227 patients with adrenal adenomas, 20 were diagnosed with CS, 76 with MACS and 131 with NFAT. Median age was 56 years (range, 18-89), and 67% were women. When compared to referent subjects, patients with CS, MACS, and NFAT demonstrated a higher visceral fat (odds ratio (OR) of 2.2 [95% CI 0.9-6.5], 2.0 [1.3-3.2], and 1.8 [1.2-2.7] and a lower skeletal muscle area (OR of 0.01 [95% CI 0-0.09], 0.31 [0.18-0.49], and 0.3 [1.2-2.7]), respectively. For every 1 mcg/dL cortisol increase after overnight dexamethasone, visceral fat/muscle area ratio increased by 2.3 (P=0.02) and mean total skeletal muscle area decreased by 2.2cm2 (P=0.03). Conclusion: Patients with adrenal adenomas demonstrate a lower muscle mass and a higher proportion of visceral fat when compared to referent subjects, including patients with NFAT. Even a subtle abnormality in cortisol secretion may impact health of patients with adenomas.

Download Full-text

Sarcopenia and altered body composition following abiraterone acetate (AA) and corticosteroid (C) treatment in men with castration-refractory prostate cancer (CRPC).

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2012.30.15_suppl.e15134 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e15134-e15134

Author(s):

Deborah Mukherji ◽

Carmel Jo Pezaro ◽

Diletta Bianchini ◽

Nina Tunariu ◽

Amy Mulick Cassidy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Body Composition ◽

Prognostic Factor ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Median Duration ◽

Visceral Fat ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Skeletal Muscle Index ◽

Advanced Malignancy ◽

Total Fat

e15134 Background: Sarcopenia, or skeletal muscle wasting, is an independent prognostic factor in advanced malignancy (Prado Lancet Onc 2008). Decreased muscle and increased fat are recognized side effects of androgen deprivation therapy. AA is a CYP17 inhibitor administered with corticosteroids (C), approved for treatment of advanced CRPC. AA reduces circulating androgens to ‘super-castrate’ levels; we hypothesized that AA + C would impact body composition. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 54 CRPC pts treated on a Phase I/II trial. Pts received AA alone followed by combination AA + C on biochemical progression. CT scans at baseline, on AA alone and on AA + C were analyzed. Cross-sectional areas of fat and muscle were measured on 3 consecutive images at L4 using OsiriX 4.0. Muscle area was used to calculate skeletal muscle index (SMI); sarcopenia was defined as SMI <52.4 cm2/m2. Data were analyzed using t-tests and Kaplan-Meier analysis with overall survival (OS) measured from day 1 of AA. Results: Median duration on AA alone was 7.4 months (m; range 1.4-37.5); median duration on concurrent AA + C was 7.4m (range 0.9-46.2). Body composition did not change between two pre-treatment scans (n=29; median 3m apart). On AA alone there was a decrease in total fat (-8.5%, p=0.0001), visceral fat (-9.8%, p=0.0015) and muscle mass (-3.9%, p=0.0023) with a significant decrease in mean body mass index (BMI; -3.4 %, p=0.0118). Conversely AA + C was associated with increased total fat (+15.1%, p<0.0001) and visceral fat (+21.4%, p<0.0001) but no further change in muscle mass. Mean BMI significantly increased on the addition of C, returning to baseline levels (p< 0.0001). Overall, 13 pts (24%) were sarcopenic prior to commencing AA compared to 22 (41%) at the end of treatment. Pts who were sarcopenic at baseline had significantly reduced OS: 26.1m (95%CI 16.6 – 41) vs 46.5m (95%CI 28.6 – 57.5, p=0.0253). Conclusions: Treatment with AA alone resulted in decreased fat and muscle. AA + C increased body fat without further alteration in muscle mass. Changes in BMI did not reflect changes in body composition. Sarcopenia at baseline was a negative prognostic factor in this population.

Download Full-text

Reference Data and T-Scores of Lumbar Skeletal Muscle Area and Its Skeletal Muscle Indices Measured by CT Scan in a Healthy Korean Population

The Journals of Gerontology Series A ◽

10.1093/gerona/glaa065 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eun Hee Kim ◽

Kyung Won Kim ◽

Yongbin Shin ◽

Jiwoo Lee ◽

Yousun Ko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Ct Scan ◽

Reference Values ◽

Lumbar Vertebrae ◽

Ct Scans ◽

Muscle Area ◽

T Score ◽

Age Related ◽

Cutoff Points ◽

Skeletal Muscle Area

Abstract Background Although computed tomography (CT) is considered the gold standard for investigating skeletal muscles, diagnostic cutoff points for sarcopenia have not been established. We therefore suggested clinically relevant diagnostic cutoff points for sarcopenia based on reference values of skeletal muscle area (SMA) measured by CT scan in a large-sized healthy Asian population. Methods This cross-sectional analysis included 11,845 subjects (7,314 men, 4,531 women) who underwent abdominal CT scans in South Korea. SMA including all muscles on the selected axial images of the L3 lumbar vertebrae level was demarcated using predetermined thresholds (−29 to +150 Hounsfield units). SMA indices (height-, weight-, and body mass index [BMI]-adjusted) were calculated. Results When T-score < −2.0 was used as the cutoff for defining sarcopenia, the sex-specific cutoff points of SMA, SMA/height2, SMA/weight, and SMA/BMI were 119.3 and 74.2 cm2, 39.8 and 28.4 cm2/m2, 1.65 and 1.38 cm2/kg, and 4.97 and 3.46 in men and women, respectively. In both sexes, the SMA/BMI values peaked in the 20s and decreased gradually. The SMA/BMI yielded the highest diagnostic rate of sarcopenia (4.2% in men, 8.7% in women), while SMA/height2 provided the lowest yield (2.8% in men, 1.0% in women). Conclusions This is the first study to report the reference values of SMA and skeletal muscle indices (SMIs) measured on CT scans and to suggest cutoff points for diagnosis of sarcopenia based on T-score in Asian subjects. BMI-adjusted index (SMA/BMI) was the best index of CT-measured SMA to reflect the age-related muscle changes and to maximize the diagnostic yield for sarcopenia.

Download Full-text

The effect of everolimus on body composition (BC) in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.e13026 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e13026-e13026

Author(s):

Nadia Baka ◽

Lisa Phuong ◽

Junwen Deng ◽

Janki Patel ◽

Jessica Goldman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Adipose Tissue ◽

Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽

Metastatic Breast ◽

Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Median Number ◽

Rank Test ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Skeletal Muscle Area

e13026 Background: BC measurement can distinguish adipose tissue distribution, as well as the quantity and quality of muscle. Dysregulation in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway is associated with obesity and its related diseases. Everolimus (Eve), an mTOR inhibitor, is used in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) in hormone positive, HER2 negative (HR+/HER2-) MBC. However, there is limited data on the effect of Eve on BC. We aim to assess the effect of Eve on BC in patients (pts) with HR+/HER2- MBC. Methods: Pts with HR+/HER2- MBC who received Eve and ET between 2012 and 2019 at our institution were identified. We collected information about breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, weight (wt), body mass index (BMI), and computed tomography (CT). BC measurements; including skeletal muscle area (SMA), skeletal muscle density (SMD), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and muscle adiposity (MA); were analyzed at the L3 region on CT scans using Tomovision’s SliceOmatic Version 5.0. Total adipose tissue (TAT) was defined as SAT+VAT+MA. To isolate the effect of Eve on BC we also identified a cohort of pts who received ET only. We compared change in wt, BMI, and BC before and after 3 and 6 months of therapy. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare BC parameters. Results: Our study included 42 pts who received Eve plus ET; 43% were Hispanic and 33% were Black. The median number of prior ET and chemotherapy lines were 1 and 0, respectively. The cohort who received ET alone included 63 patients. Median age was 68 years (interquartile range [IQR] 56-74) for the Eve and ET group and 67 years (IQR 55-74) for the ET only group (p = 0.74). Median baseline BMI was 25.8 kg/m2 (IQR 23.1-28.2) for the Eve and ET group and 28.5kg/m2 (IQR 24.2-30.8) for ET only (p = 0.08). Visceral disease was present in 24 (57%) pts on Eve and ET and 41 (65%) pts on ET only (p = 0.54). At month 3 of treatment with Eve and ET, there was a significant decrease in wt (-2.75kg, IQR -4.53-0.40, p < 0.005), BMI (-1.15kg/m2, IQR -1.71-0.14, p < 0.01), SAT (-21.93cm2, IQR -50.13-5.08, p < 0.01), and TAT (-22.34cm2, IQR -69.89-11.98, p = 0.02), which remained statistically significant at month 6 (wt: -5.70kg, IQR –7.75-1.83, p < 0.01; BMI: -2.3kg/m2, IQR -2.83-0.72, p < 0.01; SAT: -43.00cm2, IQR -73.81-10.69, p < 0.01; TAT: -32.56cm2, IQR –92.18-9.61, p = 0.03). These findings were not seen in pts who received ET only at 3 months (wt: 0.00kg, IQR –2.65-2.38, p = 0.99; BMI: 0.00kg/m2, IQR –1.07-0.91, p = 0.94; SAT: -1.82cm2, IQR -26.10-25.15, p = 0.59; TAT: 0.71cm2, IQR -44.39-27.43, p = 0.35), with similar results at 6 months. There were no statistically significant changes in VAT, SMA, SMD, or MA in both groups at 3 or 6 months. Conclusions: Everolimus is associated with decrease in SAT, with no significant change in VAT, SMA, or SMD. Further investigation is required to determine if these changes are associated with disease outcomes or everolimus toxicities.

Download Full-text

Associations of ADL Disability With Trunk Muscle Mass and Muscle Quality Indicators Measured by Opportunistic Chest Computed Tomography Imaging Among Older Inpatients

Frontiers in Medicine ◽

10.3389/fmed.2021.743698 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaofan Jing ◽

Lingling Tan ◽

Hongbo Fu ◽

Ling Yang ◽

Ming Yang

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Quality Indicators ◽

Ct Images ◽

Trunk Muscle ◽

Chest Ct ◽

Muscle Quality ◽

Skeletal Muscle Index ◽

Older Inpatients ◽

Adl Disability

Objectives: Sarcopenia is an important predictor of dependence in activities of daily living (ADL disability); however, the association between muscle quality and ADL disability has not been established. We aimed (1) to assess the feasibility of measuring trunk muscle mass and muscle quality by chest CT images; and (2) to explore the possible associations of ADL disability with these muscle mass and muscle quality indicators among older inpatients.Methods: We included older patients in an acute care ward. ADL disability was defined as the Barthel Index (BI) score ≤ 60 points. Unenhanced chest CT images at the 12th thorax (T12) vertebral level were used to segment skeletal muscle area (SMA) and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and to measure the mean skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD). Skeletal muscle index (SMI), the muscle mass indicator, was calculated by SMA (cm2)/body height squared (m2). The percentage of IMAT (IMAT%) was calculated using the equation: IMAT% = IMAT/(SMA+ IMAT) ×100%. Skeletal muscle radiodensity, IMAT, and IMAT% were the muscle quality indicators. Kendall's tau rank correlation coefficients (τ) were calculated to explore the correlations. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).Results: We included 212 participants. Skeletal muscle index and SMD were positively and significantly associated with the BI score (τ = 0.14 and 0.31, respectively, both P < 0.001); whereas IMAT and IMAT% were negatively and significantly associated with the BI score (τ = −0.21, P < 0.001; τ = −0.21, P < 0.012). After adjusting for confounders, SMI (adjusted OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.97–1.09) was not independently associated with ADL disability; however, SMD (adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.88–0.99), IMAT (adjusted OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.20), and IMAT% (adjusted OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02–1.16) were independently associated with ADL disability. Subgroup analysis found similar results in men; however, none of these indicators were independently associated with ADL disability in women.Conclusion: Trunk muscle quality indicators (SMD, IMAT, and IMAT%) measured by chest CT images, but not SMI, are independently associated with ADL disability in a single-center study population of older inpatients, especially in men. Further research is necessary to validate our findings.

Download Full-text

Impact of body composition on outcomes from anti-PD1 +/− anti-CTLA-4 treatment in melanoma

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer ◽

10.1136/jitc-2020-000821 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. e000821

Author(s):

Arissa C Young ◽

Henry T Quach ◽

Haocan Song ◽

Elizabeth J Davis ◽

Javid J Moslehi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Body Composition ◽

Adipose Tissue ◽

Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽

Lumbar Vertebrae ◽

Composition Analysis ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Skeletal Muscle Index ◽

Body Composition Analysis ◽

Tissue Area

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed treatment for melanoma, but identifying reliable biomarkers of response and effective modifiable lifestyle factors has been challenging. Obesity has been correlated with improved responses to ICI, although the association of body composition measures (muscle, fat, etc) with outcomes remains unknown.MethodsWe performed body composition analysis using Slice-o-matic software on pretreatment CT scans to quantify skeletal muscle index (SMI=skeletal muscle area/height2), skeletal muscle density (SMD), skeletal muscle gauge (SMG=SMI × SMD), and total adipose tissue index (TATI=subcutaneous adipose tissue area + visceral adipose tissue area/height2) of each patient at the third lumbar vertebrae. We then correlated these measures to response, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity.ResultsAmong 287 patients treated with ICI, body mass index was not associated with clinical benefit or toxicity. In univariable analyses, patients with sarcopenic obesity had inferior PFS (HR 1.4, p=0.04). On multivariable analyses, high TATI was associated with inferior PFS (HR 1.7, p=0.04), which was particularly strong in women (HR 2.1, p=0.03). Patients with intermediate TATI and high SMG had the best outcomes, whereas those with low SMG/high TATI had inferior PFS and OS (p=0.02 for both PFS and OS).ConclusionsBody composition analysis identified several features that correlated with improved clinical outcomes, although the associations were modest. As with other studies, we identified sex-specific associations that warrant further study.

Download Full-text

Abdominal Muscles and Metabolic Syndrome According to Patient Sex: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9091197 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 1197

Author(s):

Tae Young Lee ◽

Young-Jee Jeon ◽

Chung Reen Kim ◽

Byung Ju Kang ◽

Gyung-Min Park

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Lumbar Vertebrae ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Abdominal Muscle ◽

Muscle Quality ◽

Abdominal Muscles ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Cross Sectional

Computed tomography (CT) is a reference method for measuring skeletal muscle mass, and the amount of fat in the skeletal muscle can be calculated based on CT attenuation. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the effect of muscle quality and quantity on metabolic syndrome (MetS) according to sex. This retrospective cross-sectional study enrolled 8081 individuals aged ≥20 years who underwent self-referral abdominopelvic CT at our hospital. The total abdominal muscle area (TAMA), low-attenuation abdominal muscle area (LAMA), normal-attenuation abdominal muscle area (NAMA), and extramyocellular lipid area (EMCLA) were measured using cross-sectional CT data of the L3 lumbar vertebrae. The TAMA and NAMA showed negative correlations with risk factors for MetS and a positive correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, whereas the LAMA and EMCLA showed an inverse trend in both the sexes (p < 0.001). After adjusting for various factors, a higher LAMA index and the ratio of LAMA to TAMA were associated with a higher prevalence of MetS. High TAMA indices were associated with a lower prevalence of MetS. Furthermore, muscle quality and quantity were associated with the prevalence of MetS in both males and females. However, the LAMA showed a stronger association with MetS in males than in females.

Download Full-text

Appendicular Muscle Mass, Thigh Intermuscular Fat Infiltration, and Risk of Fall in Postmenopausal Osteoporotic Elder Women

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000513597 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Jacopo Antonino Vitale ◽

Carmelo Messina ◽

Domenico Albano ◽

Edoardo Fascio ◽

Fabio Galbusera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Whole Body ◽

Rank Test ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Intermuscular Adipose Tissue ◽

Thigh Muscles ◽

Elder Women ◽

Risk Of Fall ◽

Appendicular Muscle Mass

Background: The association between the quantity and composition of skeletal muscle and the decline in physical function in elderly is poorly understood. Therefore, the primary aim of this cross-over study was to investigate the association between thigh intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) infiltration, appendicular muscle mass, and risk of fall in postmenopausal osteoporotic elder women. Second, we examined the differences in muscle mass, IMAT, and risk of fall in the same sample of older subjects after being classified as sarcopenic or nonsarcopenic on the basis of the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-based Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (ASMMI). Methods: Twenty-nine subjects (age: 72.4 ± 6.8; BMI: 23.0 ± 3.3; and T-score: −2.7 ± 0.2) completed the following clinical evaluations: (1) whole-body DXA to assess the ASMMI; (2) magnetic resonance to determine the cross-sectional muscle area (CSA) and IMAT of thigh muscles, expressed both in absolute (IMATabs) and relative (IMATrel) values; and (3) risk of fall assessment through the OAK system (Khymeia, Noventa Padovana, Italy). The existence of a correlation between the risk of fall (OAK scores, an automated version of the Brief-BESTest) and the clinical parameters (ASMMI, CSA, IMATrel, and IMATabs) was tested by the Pearson’s correlation index while data homogeneity between sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic subjects was tested through unpaired Student t tests or with the Mann-Whitney rank test. Effect sizes (ES) were used to determine the magnitude of the effect for all significant outcomes. Results: Eleven subjects were classified as sarcopenic and 18 as nonsarcopenic based on their ASMMI (cutoff value: 5.5 kg/m2). A positive correlation between OAK and CSA was observed (r2 = 0.19; p = 0.033), whereas a negative correlation between OAK and IMATrel was detected (r2 = 0.27; p = 0.009). No correlations were observed between OAK and ASMMI and between ASMMI and IMATrel. Sarcopenic subjects showed significantly lower weight (p = 0.002; ES = 1.30, large), BMI (p = 0.0003; ES = 1.82, large), CSA (p = 0.010; ES = 1.17, moderate), and IMATabs (p = 0.022; ES = 1.63, large) than nonsarcopenic individuals, whereas OAK scores and IMATrel were similar between groups. Discussion/Conclusion: Increased IMAT and lower CSA in the thigh muscles are associated with higher risk of fall while ASMMI, a value of appendicular muscle mass, was not associated with physical performance in older adults.

Download Full-text